3 teams that could join the Pac-12 expansion after Texas State's conference realignment move by quitting the Sun Belt

The Pac-12 added its ninth member and eighth football-playing team earlier this week after Texas State left the Sun Belt to join the league. The conference has been active with its expansion plan over the past year, and that can now be seen as a success.

Despite meeting the requirements of competing in the Football Bowl Subdivision, the conference remains committed to further expansion. Here's a look at three schools the Pac-12 could add in its next phase of expansion.

Three teams that could join the Pac-12 expansion after Texas State

#1, Memphis

Memphis was among the top targets of the Pac-12 in its recently concluded phase of expansion. The Tigers held talks with the conference on the potential of a realignment, but things didn't turn out positively. The school wasn't sure a move would get it to a better place financially.

Nonetheless, Memphis holds the ambition of moving to a power conference in the next few years, and the Pac-12 could be an option. However, this will have a lot to do with how the conference performs financially from 2026. The Tigers' athletic director, Ed Scott, revealed the school's ambition last month.

“I know that she (Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould) is worried about finding her eighth full member. I’m worried about trying to get us into a Power 4 conference,” Scott said about moving to the Pac-12 on June 20. “That is our first goal, unequivocally. That’s always been our goal.”

#2, UTSA

UTSA was also among the schools the Pac-12 targeted in its expansion before the AAC institution unanimously rejected the opportunity. Nonetheless, the Roadrunners are considered a strong option for the conference in the near future as it aims to expand further.

The university, primarily a commuter school with 89% of students living off-campus, faces challenges with facilities that fall short of Pac-12 standards. The Roadrunners’ football team plays at the Alamodome, which is an off-campus, outdated and oversized venue.

Despite these challenges, UTSA remains a solid option for the conference due to its huge potential for growth. This could be the driving factor for a potential realignment move in the next few years.

#3, Rice

Rice was also a Pac-12 target in its expansion process following the implosion of the conference in the summer of 2023. However, the school joined its fellow AAC members in rejecting the offer. Nonetheless, the Owls remain a coveted expansion choice for the Pac-12.

The university boasts elite academics and a prime location in Houston, the fifth-largest U.S. metropolitan area. With a population of 7.8 million, it's a key recruiting hub for talent as well as a big television market for the Pac-12 to target.

With its standard facilities and the market opportunities it offers, the Pac-12 will definitely keep an eye on Rice. The university is also committed to moving to a bigger conference with better financial packages.